Raise KH?

[Reef.]

My tank is going through the ugly stage atm, no corals, got what seems a bacteria bloom and diatoms, I’ve noticed my KH is low at 5.6, tried two tests, salifert and aqua forest, both match, I’m wondering if the ugly stage is causing the drop? My ph is 8.15, tank has been set up around 7-8 months now, I’ve checked my fresh salt mix, it’s at 7kh correct for Tropic Marin pro salt, wondering if I should try and correct the KH or just do water changes and wait it out?

 

[Uncle99]

Just keep your WC going, TP mixes lower in the range.
I’d take a close look at your Nitrate and Phosphate levels, these need to remain in range and stable, ie, what your putting in terms of food, the resulting waste product by living things, less the export function of your filtration and water changes.

8 months is a good spot to be in, should be reasonably balanced, but, maybe you need to manage N and P.

Id put Nitrate in the 2-5ppm range and carbon dosing would help manage that number if need be.

I’d put Phosphate in the 0.03 - .1 range for the first year, year and a half.

I would definitely increase and maintain Alk in the 8.0-9.0 dkh range. This parameter, like salinity, must be kept on point with little fluctuation.

Almost there.

 

[Reef.]

T

Just keep your WC going, TP mixes lower in the range.
I’d take a close look at your Nitrate and Phosphate levels, these need to remain in range and stable, ie, what your putting in terms of food, the resulting waste product by living things, less the export function of your filtration and water changes.

8 months is a good spot to be in, should be reasonably balanced, but, maybe you need to manage N and P.

Id put Nitrate in the 2-5ppm range and carbon dosing would help manage that number if need be.

I’d put Phosphate in the 0.03 - .1 range for the first year, year and a half.

I would definitely increase and maintain Alk in the 8.0-9.0 dkh range. This parameter, like salinity, must be kept on point with little fluctuation.

Almost there.

Thanks, my nitrates are very stable but at 12 so higher than you suggest, had an issue with PO4 just for a few weeks but got a grip of it again at .042 with Rowa.
Would you suggest changing to standard tropic Marin salt as I’m using the pro version with KH at only 7, I was planning on maybe aiming for around 7.5 kh with Dosing Tropic Marin all for reef?p to bring it up slightly.

 

[Uncle99]

T

Thanks, my nitrates are very stable but at 12 so higher than you suggest, had an issue with PO4 just for a few weeks but got a grip of it again at .042 with Rowa.
Would you suggest changing to standard tropic Marin salt as I’m using the pro version with KH at only 7, I was planning on maybe aiming for around 7.5 kh with Dosing Tropic Marin all for reef?p to bring it up slightly.

No, if your nitrate is 12ppm and you can keep it there that’s fine, no change. Phosphate looks great.
The salt one is mostly a “where you want to be” in the ranges thing. For me, I buy a salt which is easy for me to acquire, mixes clean in the range I want to keep, and is of reasonable price. I do not like to have to use other salts as I have to reprogram all the dosing, so availability to me is key to stability.

I personally keep my DT at 8.5 dkh and my salt, Fritz Blue mixes right on point. In Canada, Fritz Blue is $80.

Tropic Pro in Canada is selling for $180 dollars a bucket, so while it may be good, it’s out of range for me. I also don’t care for that low range Alk.

For the purpose of a reef, salt is salt, some of the best tanks I have ever seen have run on supposed cheap Instant Ocean.

It’s not as important which manufacture, rather what the “chemist” (you) do with it.

Enjoy!

 

[Reef.]

No, if your nitrate is 12ppm and you can keep it there that’s fine, no change. Phosphate looks great.
The salt one is mostly a “where you want to be” in the ranges thing. For me, I buy a salt which is easy for me to acquire, mixes clean in the range I want to keep, and is of reasonable price. I do not like to have to use other salts as I have to reprogram all the dosing, so availability to me is key to stability.

I personally keep my DT at 8.5 dkh and my salt, Fritz Blue mixes right on point. In Canada, Fr

Tropic Pro in Canada is selling for $180 dollars a bucket, so while it may be good, it’s out of range for me.

For the purpose of a reef, salt is salt, some of the best tanks I have ever seen have run on supposed cheap Instant Ocean.

thanks for that reply, eased my mind a lot.

$180 That’s a lot, I’m in the UK and Tropic Marin is only slightly more that the other salts by only a few pounds, must be one of the few things we have cheaper here then!